2010 World Cup: Gombe predicts doom for Nigeria

By Kate Obodo
The expectation of Nigeria hitting it big in the first ever World Cup on an Africa soil, South Africa 2010Â has been played down by many especially following the poor and slowÂ preparation of the team.

kanu nwankwo

For many,Â the coming of Swede coach Lars Largerback and his new squadÂ is the beginning of failure for Nigeria in South Africa and former chairman of Gombe United FC, Alhaji Shuaibu Ahmed Gara Gombe is one of those who habour this thought.

He is one man that spits fire whenever he speaks on issues that concern the way football is run in Nigeria . He expressedÂ fears for the Super Eagles, saying it will be difficult for them to go beyond the first round of the competition.
He urged Nigerians not to expect any thing than failure especiallyÂ with the fire bridge approach the Nigeria Football Association, NFA is preparing the team.Â According to him, no friendly matches yet for the team and the camping is late in coming.
He was reacting on the way the Super Eagles technical adviser, Lars LagerbackÂ is going about preparing the team, with less than a few days to the World Cup, arguing that while other countries are rounding off preparations, Lagerback is still sweating on how to raise a 23-man squad.

â€œUndoubtedly, we are nowhere in the World Cup. Look at our preparations, it is rather too unserious to compare with some of the participating teamsÂ that haveÂ been preparing for the past two years. Even the time they (NFA) brought Lagerback was to short for any coachÂ to do anything.

â€œWe called on them then to employ a coach during the Nations Cup since they do not want Shaibu Amodu to take the teamÂ to the World Cup. He is not a developmental coach where people would believe he could do something different and give us hope. It is crystal clear that we cannot go beyond the first round. Since we have qualified, we should just go there representing our country and then come back and prepare for the next World Cup.
â€œIâ€™m afraid with the way things are going, the Nations Cup will be better than the World Cup. Because then there was someÂ level of continuity in the squad,â€ Gombe said.

He however, faulted the inclusion of Portsmouth player, Nwankwo Kanu in the 44-man list, saying the intention for his inclusion cannot be achieved.

â€œWhat is Kanu doing in the squad with the level of his fitness. People talk about him being a motivator in the team. If I may ask, a player who cannot play for completeÂ 45 minutes, do you consider him fit and capable for a competition?

The fact is that such a player is not fit for the Nations Cup how much more a serious competition like the World Cup. His era is past and he should not be in the squad. If we continue like this, there is no doubt that disaster awaits us in South Africa,â€ he concluded.